Healthy Home Care: The Best Foods for Senior Nutrition

By Doris Kasold, 11:21 am on June 21, 2016

Seniors have unique nutrition requirements that must be met through planning and diligence. Many elderly individuals need assistance with their day-to-day activities, and that includes preparing meals. With home care in Clearwater, your loved one can enjoy consistent attention and freshly prepared food that is full of nutrition and flavor. Learn more about what foods are the best for helping seniors live the healthiest life possible.

Fiber

Fiber is essential for regularity, and there are plenty of tasty ways to get the right amount. Paying attention to diet may assist your loved one in Clearwater feel their best. There are two different types of fiber:

Soluble: This type plays a big role in the digestion process, and it helps prevent food from digesting too quickly and makes you feel fuller, longer. Fruits with skins like pears, apricots, apples, and others like oranges and figs are excellent sources. Veggies such as sweet potatoes, asparagus, and leafy greens are great ways to add soluble fiber as well.

Insoluble: This type of fiber helps “move things along” in the intestines, and keeps the bowels regulated. It is found in foods like wheat bran, kidney beans, flax seeds, whole grains, and vegetables like turnips and peas.

Home Care Assistance Tampa Bay suggests individuals in Clearwater eat about 25 grams of fiber a day, which is at least five servings of fruits and veggies, as well as six servings of grains (best to make at least half of those whole grains.)

Protein

Protein is the building block for the body, and it helps maintain muscle mass, which is essential for older adults who tend to become frailer as they age. It can also protect the bones, which can prevent fractures. Consider not only how much but also the quality of protein— a tuna salad sandwich may sound better than a roasted salmon entrée, but while they each have about 7 grams of protein per ounce, the salmon contains a plethora of vitamins and incredibly healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids).

The average adult requires about seven grams of protein for every twenty pounds of body weight so that a 160-pound adult would need around 56 grams a day.

Vitamins and Nutrients

At Home Care Assistance Tampa Bay, we understand how important nutrition is for seniors in Clearwater. There are a number of nutrients and vitamins that, unfortunately, many miss in their daily diet. Eat a balanced variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats to ensure the proper nutrients are included in one’s daily diet.

Quality Nutrition and Home Care with Home Care Assistance Tampa Bay

When you need the best assistance with your loved one in Clearwater, contact Home Care Assistance. Our associates are highly qualified, reliable, and ready to assist you with caring for your senior family member. Every aide is a graduate of the Home Care Assistance University, where they learn all about how to take care of those in need with expertise. For more information, call us today at 727-330-7862.